WE147II: Castles and Handball

SC Magdeburg 35:16 Stralsunder HV
Friday, 22nd May 2009 - begin 19.30
1. Handball Bundesliga
Result: 35:16 after 60 min. - Halftime 17:7
Goals SCM: van Olphen 6, Sprenger 6, Grafenhorst 4, Wiegert 4, Cossbau 4, Theuerkauf 4, Stiebler 2, Grohmann 2, Jurecki 2, Böhm 1
Goals SHV: Brandt 6, Schwerin 5, Hinz 2, Hoffmann 2, Libergs 1
Time penalties: 4 minutes against each team
Sent-offs: none
Sports hall: Bördelandhalle (cap. 8,000; 7,200 seated)
Attendance: 4,500 (50 away fans)
Match quality: 3.0/10 (boring)
Day-out entertainment: 7,0/10 (nice)
This time we travelled more kilometres by train than by bike, but the bike route wasn’t too short. After we arrived at Schönebeck, a town several kilometres south of Magdeburg, we jumped off the train and made our way by bike. First, we had a look at the few sights of that town that doesn’t deserve its name meaning probably “beautiful stream/ creek” - that stream is a big river (Elbe) and that town isn’t beautiful nor is the river in particular. Among the sights are some architectural details at some private homes and a church that changed its outfit so often, that you have a mixture of several architectural styles now.
Then, we rode 6km by bike to Plötzky, a village near Schönebeck on the other shore of the river Elbe. Plötzky has a beautiful Romanesque church. So has neighbouring village Pretzien. While we could have a look inside the church in Plötzky, the - concerning the exterior - more beautiful church in Pretzien was closed.
Several kilometres on, we arrived at Dornburg, a small village in the middle of the nature, relatively far away from the next city, which has a spectacular baroque castle. It needs renovation, which partially started so far. That’s the reason, why you are not allowed to enter the castle. Nonetheless you may enter the church, although it is under renovation, too. You can even ascend the pulpit and walk on the third gallery. Flanking the church lays a small restaurant, were we ate a Schnitzel.
Then we went on to Leitzkau, were a far more spectacular castle is situated. That one does not need restoration work, but it is not regularly open to public though. The castle was built right beside a monastery. There are still people living in the farm buildings of the castle, but at least the buildings look very shady. If that castle would be situated in Eastern Europe, I would bet there were Romany living.
Next stop: Lindau. Lindau is a well known town situated on the shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee) - and a small village east of Magdeburg. There is a round castle - not very well preserved due to wars in the 17th century and earlier, but under restoration - on a small hill.
Our last stop was Loburg, were we simply took a photo of the fortification tower, an industrial building, the town hall and finally the castle - which was closed - and then hurried to catch the train to Magdeburg. The next time we will visit Loburg - probably next season, when there is another handball match or an easy to access football match (the next football match in Magdeburg we want to watch will be played next week and we will not have time for sightseeing then) - we will have a look at the modern church and the ruined church, that we saw from distance only.
After our arrival in Magdeburg, we ate something in our favourite Turkish restaurant, and then rode to the sports hall “Bördelandhalle” were SC Magdeburg faced Stralsunder HV. SC Magdeburg struggles for the international positions, while Stralsund is already relegated. And so did they play. Stralsund was so weak, that there is no need to describe the match with many words. That team is a caricature of a professional handball team. A laugher! They should be relegated to Kreisliga!
SC Magdeburg just played how an average German professional team has to play and easily gained a clean victory by 35:16 goals. 19 goals difference! Unfortunately, I can’t appreciate the match high, because Magdeburg played all right and Stralsund ridiculous.

Statistics
Ground No. 313 (not a new ground; this season: 83)
Sporting event No. 808 (this season: 175)
Kilometres that day: 290 (70 bike, 220 train)
Km this season: 23.985 (12,810 car/ 4,310 public transport/ 4,295 bike/ 2,960 plane)
Number of football matches since the last goalless draw: 16
Number of weeks since the last week without any sporting event (Aug 1st-6th 2006): 147

Photos:
Architecture and landscape:
http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x68/fchmksfkcb/BITTE%20HIER%20WEITER%20-%20FOTOS%20AB%2022-03-2009/090522aStrasse%20der%20Romanik%20-Schoenebeck%20bis%20Loburg/
The handball match:
http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x68/fchmksfkcb/BITTE%20HIER%20WEITER%20-%20FOTOS%20AB%2022-03-2009/090522b%20SC%20Magdeburg%2035-16%20Stralsunder%20HV/